Tattered Wings
by Blueraingurl
Summary: Angst. Sometimes love hurts as we learn the true meaning of love. Wolfram centered fic. [Needs some revisions :o]
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Kyou Kara Maou. I have absolutely no rights to it and this fic is a fan creation because I love Wolfram so much.

**Warnings:**

**Spoilers - If you don't want to be spoiled, please do not read this fic – although, I am not exactly following the anime plot.**

**Last Spoiler Warning:** Early episodes – episode 69:

I have only read the summaries and seen the screen caps of all the episodes so far through the internet (although I am slowly buying the American DVDs as they come out), so there may be inconsistencies with the anime and my fic. I apologize if this happens. Also, I am speculating Wolfram's role with the boxes and maybe his possession (we do not know for sure because the anime is not finished yet.)

Also, there may be many various errors in spelling with the KKM world - I have seen many variations in the spelling of Yuri vs. Yuuri, Mazoku vs. Makoku, etc . . . so I am unsure which spellings are the correct ones.

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_Title: Tattered Wings_

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Wolfram remembered, he remembered how he held onto Yuri's hand as Yuri held onto the cliff. He also remembered Yuri's feelings of hurt when they had thought Conrad had betrayed them all. He remembered letting Yuri know and go see Conrad when Gunter and Gwendal had told him to keep it a secret. He remembered when after that meeting Yuri had fallen to the ground crying – he remembered Yuri's obvious pain. But mostly he remembered he couldn't do anything – not a thing. He couldn't stop Conrad and he couldn't comfort Yuri. He remembered that he couldn't do anything to ease Yuri's hurt – once again, not a thing.

But now he knew what he could provide the one that he had fallen in love with – he could leave him alone. No, not unguarded, he would always protect his Maou – no that was wrong too, he would always protect Yuri, just Yuri even if he wasn't the Maou. Wolfram would just leave Yuri alone so that Yuri could do his soul searching and see that Conrad had taken over his heart.

But it was bittersweet because he did remember a lot of things. Like the time Elizabeth had come – Wolfram's own pride wouldn't have let Yuri back down from the challenge. But Yuri had been enamored; he had thought Elizabeth was for him – a gift from his uncle. Yuri had been happy that he would get to meet a girl. He must have been shocked when he found out that Elizabeth had come to reclaim Wolfram's accidental proposal. _Wasn't it strange?_ His love for Yuri began accidentally too.

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Wolfram stilled as he looked at Yuri's sleeping form; Yuri began to shift in the bed. He held his breath because he didn't want this moment to be ruined. This last moment when he could etch his fiancés face into his memory. He had restless nights as nightmare after nightmare overcame him – so now, Wolfram stayed in his own room. He did not want to bother Yuri, nor his brothers with his problems. His pride wouldn't let him but mostly he didn't want to worry Yuri; Yuri had enough problems taking care of a kingdom.

Yuri stilled again and had his mouth slightly open as drool made its way down. Wolfram smirked and thought to himself with affection – '_what a wimp_.' So as not to awake him, Wolfram kneeled to the floor and wiped Yuri's mouth. He quietly whispered then, "Yuri, I don't know when it happened but I fell in love with you but if letting you be free is what will bring you happiness, I can try to forgo my pride. No, I will forget my pride, give up my pride because isn't that love?"

He leaned over, not bold enough to do this in the morning but indulging himself for once with Yuri, he lightly pressed his chapped lips over Yuri's forehead.

Wolfram turned to leave – he didn't see Yuri's eyes flutter open as he felt someone's soul trying to connect with his. Yuri held his breath, he didn't want Wolfram knowing that he had witnessed this strange moment nor did he know what to do. Silently, Yuri contemplated what this could mean as he fell back to sleep.

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As Wolfram left Yuri's room, a room that had once been theirs, he ran into his half-brother Conrad.

"Weller," Wolfram acknowledged.

"Wolfram," Conrad nodded in his direction.

An oppressive silence fell over them which made Conrad think about their relationship. He loved his brother and had been hurt when Wolfram withdrew from him after he learned that he was half-human years ago. It was a hurt that would unconsciously butt its ugly head whenever he interacted with his brother.

Conrad turned to leave.

"Wait," Wolfram reached out onto Conrad's arm with uncertainty, "I . . ."

Conrad turned to look at his brother – he had never seen his brother like this, _'where was the confident prince?'_ but then he began to remember Wolfram's attitude with him. He remembered how Wolfram screamed at him about how he had betrayed Yuri. But then he had also let it slip out that Conrad had also betrayed Wolfram. Then he remembered before going out to battle there had been a rain of blue flowers – the flower that his mother had planted, Conrad Who Stands Upon the Earth_. 'Could it have been his brother?' _He had truly thought Wolfram did not care about him – although he slowly began to understand his brother's psyche when Yuri had appeared in this world – where Wolfram was all talk – where his spiteful words and actions were not meant to be spiteful but a glimpse of care that Wolfram could only offer through arrogant words and actions.

Slowly, Conrad smiled at him, he really did love his brother – he just had a hard time understanding him.

"Wolfram do you want to get a midnight snack?" Conrad asked.

Wolfram smiled but then it quickly became a frown, "No, its okay you have to guard the Maou's room. That's more important."

Conrad slightly frowned with that statement – _'did Wolfram think he was unimportant to him?'_

"Weller, er, brother," Wolfram tried again, "I trust you."

Conrad remained rooted to the floor, '_what?'_ this was unexpected.

"So, please take care of Yuri," Wolfram rushed out, "he's a wimp . . . I mean I'll be here to protect him but you . . . you can take care of him okay. I want him to be happy." Then Wolfram broke out into a sprint and ran towards his room, away from his brother and Yuri.

Conrad didn't know what to do – he had never seen such a dejected look on his younger brother. Maybe he had not been paying enough attention because Yuri was who he thought about most of the time.

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The events of that night slowly blurred in everyone's mind as the climax of the boxes and darkness overtook Shin Mazoku - the plans of Shinou slowly set in motion.

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As the coming evil approached, everyone fought. They fought for a world where humans and mazoku could live together – a world Julia and others had died for.

As Wolfram's possessed body tried to destroy the world, he faced the Maou with his sword pointed towards his heart. The Maou – the one person who brought so much bitterness to him.

Wolfram was trapped within himself – it was dark and he was so alone but Shinou had planned this all along, he could not fight it. But he would be damned if Shinou's plan included the death of Yuri. He would be DAMNED – Wolfram could not let that possibility happen, not while he was still alive. He had promised himself that he would protect Yuri always, protect and guard him with his life. While Conrad could take care of him – where Conrad would share the happiness and love that Yuri had to offer and to take care of that love and let it bloom and multiply.

As Wolfram overtook his possessor, he saw his blade reaching closer to Yuri, too fast; this movement was going too fast.

With a cry of anguish, he stopped his forward movement and turned his shoulder to the left, pushing Yuri out of harms way as other faceless beings neared. It really wasn't fair, this last battle, it was Gwendal, Conrad, Gunter, Yozak and Yuri versus Wolfram and thousands of dark beings at the forefront, who knew what the numbers were against the other Shin Mazoku soldiers in the background.

Wolfram realized that the only way to end this was his death – to kill the other spirit.

"Conrad," Wolfram yelled; everyone was shocked, they had thought they had lost Wolfram to the dark spirit of Shinou. With a firm resolve, Wolfram pushed Yuri into Conrad's arms and plunged his sword into himself.

"WOLFRAM" Yuri yelled, "WOLFRAM."

"Its okay wimp," Wolfram smiled painfully.

As breathing became harder, Wolfram whispered to himself, "I finally did something of worth for you – Yuri."

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TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Kyou Kara Maou. I have absolutely no rights to it and this fic is a fan creation because I love Wolfram so much.

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**A/N: **Regarding to where I have read the online episode summaries: there are many many many livejournal communities that talk about Kyou Kara Maou I especially love the one named: kkm wolframfans. The main one though for the series is: kyou kara maou. I don't know if I am allowed to post the sites directly, so please go to the livejournal site and put in those names in your search for the username . I hope I haven't confused anyone.

**Warnings:** This fic is now Alternate Universe. I really want to know what happens to my poor Wolfram in the upcoming episodes -cries-

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**A/N #2 **– I did not plan to update this now, I have two major exams this week :( . . . so there may be errors . . . also, I tried to internalize Gwendal and Conrad, I don't know if I achieved it and this chapter may need revision because of it. So please let me know if I should flesh something out or take something out. Thank you for reading. Comments are always appreciated.

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_Title: Tattered Wings_

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Conrad and Yuri rushed to Wolfram's stilled form. They were speechless as the gravity of Wolfram's act processed in their minds. Coming out of their stupor, Conrad ran to get healers while Yuri neared Wolfram. His body began to convulse.

Yuri held onto the shaking bleeding body, "Wolfram? Wolfram?" he chanted over and over. He needed to get a response out of the blond.

"Why? Why?" he cried out, "Why did you do this for me? I know you told me time and time again that you would protect me . . . BUT WHY? Look at you, why are you here bleeding? I never asked you to, you didn't need to."

"Wolfram," Yuri cried again and tried to shake him, "please, it's going to be okay. It's okay now. It's all over, the dark spirit is gone. Please wake up! Wake up, wake up . . . please."

"Heika," Gwendal calmly reached out, "please stop . . . you're hurting him."

Yuri took a look at his bloodied hands, it was Wolfram's blood. Then through tear filled eyes, he realized that he had shaken the blond unconsciously, spreading the blood further into his uniform.

"My god," Yuri snapped his hands back from Wolfram's body.

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Gwendal neared his brother's form and slowly drew his hands toward his brother's forehead to brush Wolfram's hair away from his face.

"Wolfram," he silently whispered, "we're here, please don't leave."

Gwendal suddenly remembered his brother's sleeplessness. Wolfram had always been yawning before the darkness overtook Shin Mazoku – and then Wolfram had become more haggard as the days went by. He had asked out of concern one day if Wolfram was okay and his brother had looked at him clearly in the eye and told him he was fine – Gwendal had to remind himself then that his brother was old enough to take care of himself and had let the matter go.

But now, he wished that he had probed a little bit deeper. A sense of guilt began to claw at him. He remembered when he had thought Conrad had betrayed them – he was willing to have him killed or imprisoned for that treachery. Likewise, when Wolfram's betrayal came to the forefront, he was willing to do anything, even kill his younger brother to ensure the king's safety . . .

Gwendal sighed; politics and family were a blurred line – his role as one of the kingdom's leaders did not come without a price, a price that would have come at the expense of his brothers. He had been so consumed by his role that their relationship had drifted – that although, Wolfram and he were always in near vicinity of each other, Gwendal and Wolfram and Conrad had been separated by an emotional gulf due to their roles in the kingdom.

But now, he would be damned if his brother died because of the plans Shinou had placed even before their births: a plan that had now been revealed and unraveled due to the events of this night.

'_May everyone rest in peace_,' because he did not know what the casualties were because of this battle against the boxes and Shinou's concealed plans. He only cared that his brother was fighting for his life now.

He looked on as Yuri hugged his brother more gently; with a bittersweet smile he thought to himself that Wolfram would have been happy that Yuri was holding him.

Then with a frown, Gwendal thought to himself and asked himself why his brother went so far as to hide the fact that he was struggling with a dark force – _'did he not want to worry us?'_ _Maybe Wolfram didn't even know he was being possessed but at some point he must have realized it_ . . . He knew that Wolfram was already eighty years old . . . but maybe the flaw with him was that he depended too much on Wolfram's age – that although Wolfram was mature in Mazoku terms, he was still the youngest child of the three. The youngest of them – who did not have the father figure that he and Conrad had, nor did he get the motherly role model from their mom. What Wolfram had was a mother who had to take up her role as the ruler of Shin Mazoku, a role she clearly did not want but had been decreed by Shinou. What Wolfram had were two brothers that were grown up and took their place in leading the kingdom. Although, it were not their faults, Wolfram's childhood had been different from his own and Conrad's.

Conrad had adored baby Wolfram and Gwendal had taken care of him in the background but the turmoil of the country had placed a huge responsibility on the Maou's children. Gwendal and Conrad had to take up their roles. A role that left no space to care for a child growing up – so Wolfram had been mostly left to his own devices and he received countless gifts from his mother and brothers, but the time they all spent together as a family was very limited when the country had experienced crisis after crisis.

He sighed again as his face wrinkled in contemplation – his revelations were neither here nor there, he just had to make a difference now with his brother in the present. Wolfram deserved a present – definitely. He would be damned if his little brother died now.

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Yuri kept vigil over Wolfram's body as the days went by.

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The healers were constantly supplying the prince with their mazoku energy – sustaining his life. At the same time, Yuri provided energy for Wolfram too – he didn't know what else he could do for the blond.

Yuri had refused to let them stop when Gwendal had calmly stated that Wolfram would rather that his death end in honor rather than trying to prolong his life. Yuri had misunderstood their intentions.

"What are you saying Gwendal," Yuri yelled fiercely.

"When Wolfram regained control of his body at the last moment," Gwendal continued, "he wanted to save you and he did, there was nothing more that he wanted heika."

"Conrad," Yuri looked helplessly, "don't tell me that you think that too."

"Heika," Conrad spoke softly, "I understand what Gwendal is saying, we are his brothers – but I have failed in that regard . . . we both did, we only want to honor Wolfram's last wishes." In no way did Gwendal and Conrad want their precious younger brother to die but this was something that was beyond their control.

Yuri was very confused with their responses, _'did they want Wolfram to just let go of his life?'_

"BUT," Yuri suddenly yelled.

"Yuri," Conrad suddenly placed his hands on his shoulders and gently shook him, "we don't mean that, of course we want Wolfram to live . . . we just want you to understand that if he did die, Wolfram would have no regrets because he did it to save you. That was his way to show that he loved you."

'_That he loved you?'_

The words that he spoke had just come out and Conrad couldn't believe it – yes that was it, Wolfram loved Yuri. His younger brother had fallen in love. Conrad took a step back from Yuri from his revelation.

Conrad knew that his younger brother had a hard time expressing himself – he had thought Wolfram's feelings for Yuri were of Maou and protector. That his continuous outbursts of jealously and selfishness were because of immaturity and his own pride – but somewhere along the line, Wolfram must have fallen in love with Yuri.

Suddenly the gravity of Wolfram's earlier words hit him, _"Brother, I trust you . . . please take care of Yuri."_ Then he remembered how Wolfram had rejected getting snacks with him because Wolfram told him to guard Yuri. _'Did his brother think he was worthless in Conrad's eyes? That only Yuri had mattered?'_

Rapidly Conrad blinked his eyes, he had misunderstood his brother – he felt anguish and guilt overcome him. As he turned to look at Gwendal, he noticed a slight depression of his shoulders – he didn't know what Gwendal was thinking but seeing the haunted look in his eyes as he looked at Wolfram's stilled figure he could guess that their thoughts must be filled with pain about what happened to Wolfram. _'Did Gwendal know too? Did he know that Wolfram had fallen in love with Yuri? Or were they all oblivious to who Wolfram really was?'_

Breaking out of his contemplation, Conrad noticed Gwendal approach Yuri as he placed his hand onto Yuri's shoulder.

"Heika, we will never let Wolfram let go of his life. We will fight for our brother's life," Gwendal spoke, "I just wanted you to realize that Wolfram must have really loved you to do what he did and hope that when he comes to consciousness that you try to understand him too – I admit that we have only looked at his exterior."

Conrad silently contemplated what Gwendal was saying, _'yes, he had misunderstood his younger brother on several occasions.'_

He had found humor whenever Yuri had come running to him to hide him from Wolfram. He knew his brother was very hot-tempered but that Wolfram had no real ill will towards their king. But what he had missed throughout all this time was the fact that Wolfram must have been hurt whenever Yuri had confided in him and had taken refuge in him. Wolfram must have felt hurt whenever Yuri ran away from him – '_because when you love someone, wouldn't you want that person to always be with you?' _

He remembered the Wolfram who always called Yuri a cheater – truthfully he had seen nothing to warrant Wolfram's statements . . . he could relate with Yuri because on many levels Wolfram had accused him of far greater things from betrayer to filthy human. But Conrad had never questioned _why Wolfram was so passionate in his statements, what drove his younger brother's feelings, and why Wolfram was the way he was._

But then there were many things he didn't know about his brother – _did he ever try to find out? Did Wolfram ever try to find out? Did Gwendal? _No, everyone had been so immersed in their own lives that the only connection that they had was through blood. But he remembered an earlier time – he and Wolfram had sparred and Gwendal and Cheri looked on, it was a special time set apart for them because a country couldn't rule itself – so they made sure to spend more time with each other, but slowly as politics rose, their family time together became shorter and shorter.

It became more difficult to understand each other when you were engulfed by the problems of a kingdom.

Suddenly, Conrad remembered when he ran into Wolfram again as he left the king's room a couple of months ago. Wolfram had been doing that for awhile – he would sneak in after Yuri had fallen asleep and then watch over him until the sunrise and then leave him. And every time that Conrad ran into him – Wolfram would tell him to take care of Yuri and that he was going to go back to his room now to sleep. Conrad wanted to reason with Wolfram to just sleep in Yuri's room and that this was bad for his body but then he remembered that Wolfram was eighty years old – he was old enough to take care of himself without his brother's meddling. He would look in concern at Wolfram whenever he yawned – but didn't know what to say other than to ask him if he were okay. Conrad than thought to himself, _'did Yuri know that this was Wolfram's nightly ritual?' _

'_Did any of them realize that Wolfram had many sleepless nights watching over Yuri's form?' 'Did they realize that when Wolfram went back to his room that he couldn't fall asleep anyways?'_

To tie that behavior in, Conrad remembered something he had forgotten for a long time – the months before he went to battle - the war that had taken the life of Julia . . . he remembered, a younger Wolfram crunched up in his sofa in Conrad's bedroom one morning. He was shocked but then didn't move out of bed, afraid that he might frighten Wolfram off. Within the next hour, Wolfram stretched and yawned and realized that he had fallen asleep in Conrad's room. He had snuck in during midnight to keep vigil over his brother because he knew Conrad was going out to battle soon. Wolfram then left the room quietly.

That morning Conrad had greeted his brother with a smile and Wolfram replied back with a scowl "don't talk to me half-human."

Their relationship did not get better during the days as he saw Wolfram reaching out more to Gwendal but then during the nights, Conrad realized that Wolfram had snuck into his room time and time again at night until he had left for battle.

Conrad felt pressure build up in his heart – he really did love Wolfram but they had drifted so far away from each other. He knew that he couldn't do anything to change the past, but when Wolfram woke up now, he would be there for him to. He will keep vigil as his brother had done for him because when he had returned from the battle a scarred man, his brother had been in his sofa again awaiting his return.

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Six months passed in agony – As the kingdom righted itself from the darkness and re-established order and peace, but there was a different turmoil in the royal room. Everyone held onto the hope that Wolfram would come out of his coma.

Physically they had healed Wolfram's broken body, but the scars would always remain.

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TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own Kyou Kara Maou_.

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**_Warning:_ Character Death.** Please do not read this, if this will greatly anguish you as it did for me. I didn't even know that I was going to write it this way. **However, I hope you can read this fic to the last sentence and see why I had to do it.**

**Another warning: **Since we don't know for sure what Wolfram's role in the recent anime is, I have taken great liberties with his role so basically please treat this fic as AU. Character's may be out of character.

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_Title: Tattered Wings_

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Wolfram wanted to let go, he couldn't understand why he was being supplied maryoku but he knew his time was near and no one could do anything about it. He couldn't see but felt the turmoil around his surroundings and eventually knew that he had to make peace with it before he left. With great effort and pain, he slowly opened his weary eyes, _'it was so bright . . .'_

Yuri jumped up in shock and hope as he saw Wolfram open his eyes.

"Wolfram! Thank god you're awake, I had thought," Yuri's voice hitched.

"We need to get Gisela," Gwendal stated behind him. Yuri turned to Gwendal and Conrad and saw the same look of relief that he himself was feeling.

Yuri edged closer to Wolfram; he saw the blond trying to speak.

"Please let me go Yuri," Wolfram whispered, "please."

"What are you saying? Don't say that . . . look you're awake now," Yuri drew his hands closer to his face cringing as he saw deep pain reflected in green.

Wolfram shook his head; he didn't have much time left.

"Please Yuri," Wolfram whispered again.

"What are you saying?" Yuri stated again in confusion, "please you can't leave."

With soulful eyes, Wolfram looked at Yuri, "you have many people to take care of you here wimp."

"But I want you," Yuri neared Wolfram's body and wiped the sweat off of Wolfram's forehead.

"I'm too broken now," Wolfram stated, "please make this easier on me."

Yuri closed his eyes as tears fell, this couldn't be happening . . . Wolfram had just woken up to tell him that he needed to go, '_why was he saying that?'_ He chanted like a broken record within himself. Yuri couldn't imagine a world where there was no Wolfram – so many of them had hoped to see the smiling blond . . . Conrad, Gwendal, Cheri, Gunter, Greta, everyone . . . Yuri had held onto the hope that he could make things better for the blond finally when he woke up . . . there were so many things that Wolfram and he hadn't done – _'like bake cookies together, play baseball together, to stay up late at night as they waited for Greta to come back home from her first date together, to grow old together_' . . . so many things that Yuri had taken for granted in the past.

Yuri knelt down and placed his forehead against Wolfram's, "please I think I love you Wolfram, I know I've been selfish, even now I'm being selfish but I want to make you happy – and that means that you need to live, please don't give up."

Wolfram's body began to relax as he smiled sadly as he looked beyond Yuri to his two brothers, and then his eyes fluttered shut, "I am happy wimp . . . thank you."

"NO!" Yuri yelled in anguish. "Wait! Please!"

"WOLFRAM, WOLFRAM, WOLFRAM," Yuri cried out as he huddled his listless body against his chest.

Tears streamed down Conrad and Gwendal's face as they could only watch helplessly.

It was time to say their final goodbye to their brother.

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Wolfram felt himself float in limbo – he didn't know where he was or how long he had been there.

He felt sadness gnawing at his spirit. He wasn't even sure if everything that had happened in his life was a lie or reality. But he vaguely remembered seeing Yuri embracing Greta as they cried in their grief. He had seen his usually calm brother Conrad slamming his sword over and over again at the wall as he cried outside. He had seen Gwendal crying behind his desk while taking charge of the funeral proceedings in the morning. He had seen his mother in her garden watering them with her tears.

A great mourning had taken place – they had honored Wolfram a soldier's death; protector of the kingdom and of the Maou for his role in defending them against the boxes.

But strangely as he watched this, he felt detached. He had tried to fly away from the scenes that had played hauntingly before his eyes but he couldn't, he just couldn't fly with the tattered wings he had.

So he had watched the kingdom come together in mourning.

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Then the days, months and years had passed by.

He watched again as Yuri cried into the night without anyone to comfort him. He had seen everyone break apart from each other.

'_Had he meant so much to them?' _Wolfram never thought so when he was alive, _'but why was the grief so deep and hurtful? Why didn't Yuri, Conrad, Gwendal and everyone comfort each other and move on?'_

'_How many years of this broken cycle had he witnessed from those he had cared about?'_ Wolfram asked himself.

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Wolfram looked on with a frown; Yuri had lost so much weight from the last time he had seen him.

"Wimp!" he cried out in frustration to Yuri who couldn't see him, "idiot, eat!"

He looked on helplessly as Yuri flicked his fork to the left and right without taking a bite. The royal dining room was veiled in silence. Everyone was just being polite to each other – Gwendal frowned while Conrad just smiled that fake smile Wolfram had hated seeing, it was the same as when Julia had passed away.

"Heika," Conrad's voice brought Wolfram out of his thoughts, "please eat some more, we have representatives coming tomorrow and you need your strength."

Yuri just nodded but, "I think I'm done, I'll see everyone in the morning." He headed back to his room.

Sighing to himself again, Yuri changed and then reached into the drawer next to the bed – he took out something that looked like a binder and went into his bedcovers while he turned on the lamp.

"What are you doing Yuri?" Wolfram asked although he knew he would get no response, "get some rest! You're so stubborn!"

After what seemed like hours, Yuri stopped writing and placed his journal on the desk opened.

Wolfram glanced over to the journal, scowling to himself that Yuri was probably writing to someone . . . maybe someone Yuri had fallen in love with. Curiosity got the better of him as he began to read:

_Ah, I never told you how to play baseball. Yeah, I know it's a human sport from earth . . . no, it's not useless, seriously! It'll be really fun when we get a chance to play together – haha, did you know that I had a dream once, or it was more like a nightmare. I was running towards home plate and then this stupid umpire, the guy who catches the ball at home base, anyways . . . like I was saying, I was just about to score a homerun until the stupid guy caught the ball. I was so angry and it was funny because when I was about to stomp and yell that it was unfair, there you were smirking at me, you were the umpire – oh, you made me so mad. I was about to win the World Series too for Japan._

Wolfram looked with distain, _'what kind of inane chatter was this?'_

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The next day after Yuri met with the dignitaries to talk about joining a Mazoku-Human alliance, Yuri came back to his bedroom exhausted but he still reached for his journal to write in.

Wolfram looked on with wonder again, Yuri never struck him as the type to be sentimental – but the fact that a grown man was writing in a journal made Wolfram think twice about how much he didn't know Yuri. Or rather, he had not had enough time to get to understand his fiancé.

So after Yuri fell into sleep, Wolfram went to read again. He should have stopped himself because these were Yuri's private thoughts but once again curiosity won out:

_You know whenever I see a shiny head, I can't help but think it's funny – do you remember when we first saw it? Wow, I couldn't hold myself and grabbed onto your arm. I think you were about to get into hysterics too but then with a dignified smirk you told me I was being stupid. I was annoyed – you annoyed me so much you know? Everything you said and did sometimes baffled me. I didn't know how to handle you and so I went to Conrad whenever I had a problem. No, you weren't bad, it was just that I thought you were so selfish – always telling me that humans were less than trash and why should we help human territories when they did nothing to help us. But I think I'm beginning to understand you now, you didn't really mean it did you? _

_How do I know that now? I began to remember everything we've been through together . . . you saved those children, do you remember? When the volcano erupted and the little boy tripped, you were there; you didn't care about your own safety . . . _

_That made me remember another time, remember when we were up on the mountain? – you told me that even if I killed you, that you would trust me. Why though? I don't understand . . . but I guess I never really understood you. And this is the side of you that's making me realize that I never knew you, a side of you that I keep discovering everyday . . . I thought I knew you then – you were loud enough for me to hear, always yelling at me and calling me a cheater, but I just used my ears, didn't I? I just used my ears . . . there's so many things that I missed, didn't I? _

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_-_

Wolfram had to stop reading, as tears filled him – _'it couldn't be, could it? That this journal was a journal to him?' _Wolfram felt lost again as night gave way to morning.

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"Shibuya," Murata called out, "Shibuya."

"What?" Yuri replied in annoyance; he did not want another lecture.

"Shibuya it's been 10 years," Murata spoke calmly.

"And?" Yuri replied again.

"You can't be like this anymore," Murata stated exasperated.

"Why?" Yuri's eyes flamed. "Why do you care? Everything happened the way Shinou planned it, didn't it?"

Murata frowned, "you know it's not his fault – it was the boxes."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Yuri asked.

"No, but it's supposed to mean that he was human too," Murata stated, "like you, I know you have a lot of regrets regarding Wolfram but . . ."

"Stop," Yuri yelled, "you think that I don't understand? I know it was everything to do with me okay! Leave me alone."

"You know," Murata tried again, "death is not always the last place – look at you, look at Julia, look at me. Death is not always the ending. Shinou only wanted the best for the kingdom." The Great Sage then left Yuri gaping at his retreating figure.

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Yuri washed up and retreated to his bed with his journal.

Wolfram just looked on – he didn't know why he was still lingering in this world. He looked on as Yuri left his journal open again.

It read:

_There are a lot of times that I want to go back in time and change things – events, things I said and did; things could have been different but now, I accept the fact that time is continuous and I can't magically change anything. There's such a big loss that we feel, it's different . . . Conrad is still always by my side and Gwendal is always frowning but now everyone seems older, even me. Without you here, there's no brat in the group anymore – laughs – no I'm not insulting you Wolfram, you have to admit you have been pretty bratty. Fine, fine, I'll take it back but I don't mean to offend you. It's just that I haven't realized how much fun we did have together – who had ever called me a brat to my face? Who would truthfully tell me how they feel about things? Who would keep calling me a cheater and then put me in a headlock? _

_Can you imagine your brother Gwendal doing that?_

_You know what I never realized though? I never realized that you kept me grounded most of the time – when things became stressful and events happened that we couldn't prevent, you were always the same. You never treated me differently, you never tried to soften things and you always put me in my place – you always told me the truth even if I didn't want to hear them at times. Wolfram, is it okay to love you? Is it okay to wait for you? Will you wait for me again? I want to meet you again when I die . . ._

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One night, Wolfram found himself in his old room. He didn't have much control over where he went and where he appeared.

What surprised him though was Conrad.

"What was his brother doing in his room?" he asked himself out loud as he neared his brother's hunched figure on his old chair.

After that, every night Wolfram saw his brother enter his room at midnight and then Conrad would sit in his chair to the right. Then he would go to the window and take a look outside while holding an empty blue glass in his palm. He would look at it with a deep sadness.

After the second straight week of Conrad doing this, Wolfram felt so frustrated. "Brother, go back to your room. I'm not coming back." It felt weird for him to say that but it was the truth.

Then during one of the nights, he looked in surprise as his door opened as Gwendal came into his room too.

Gwendal silently neared to where Conrad was sitting and offered him a drink.

The room was eerily silent into the morn. Gwendal and Conrad had not spoken a word.

In the morning, Wolfram saw Gwendal wearily massaging his eyes as he sobbed into his desk . . . then he saw Conrad by Yuri's side with that fake smile he hated to see again. He felt frustration, Conrad had promised to take care of Yuri.

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Wolfram felt like tearing his hair out – he couldn't look at his family anymore, it was just so depressive.

Then one day he saw Yuri's brother Shouri enter into the Maou's room. He wondered how he came to Shin Mazoku.

"Shouri," Yuri spoke in surprise, "what are you doing here?"

"Let's go home, Yuri," he spoke.

"What do you mean?" Yuri asked.

"It's better if you leave this place – there's too much hurt," Shouri stated with worry.

Yuri stilled for a moment and tried to gather everything he had experienced so far into words.

"Have you ever realized that something, that someone was so important to you, after you lost it?" Yuri asked.

"That you didn't know how hard it would be to live everyday without that person? I constantly look over my shoulders and expect Wolfram to be there – every time I talk to someone, I imagine I see his jealous form yelling at me that I'm a cheater . . . I see his face flushing from agitation and then he runs off in a puff while I unconsciously thank the gods that Wolfram went away."

"It's just guilt Yuri," Shouri tried reasoning, "just regret."

"Yeah, I thought it was too . . .maybe it was in the beginning," Yuri went on to explain, "but if it was just that, then why do I have this gaping hole in my heart? Why is it that every time I see green eyes and blond hair, I rush up and shake them to see if they were Wolfram?"

"Why?" Yuri pleaded, "why brother? Why do I miss his tantrums and shouting? Why do I miss his smile? Why does it hurt so much?"

Shouri remained silent.

"Why is it that I wish I could have done more?" Yuri continued, "why is it that I miss him so much – he was my friend, my protector but then he was my fiancé too and I just wish I had done more to show that I appreciated him . . . maybe it was guilt at first, but over the years I began to realize that there was something more to it . . . I miss him so much that I think my heart would burst, Shouri."

Shouri looked sadly to his brother, "maybe that isn't guilt then, but it's natural, people hurt when they lose someone close to them Yuri," he embraced Yuri, "so please, let's go home to Earth."

Yuri shook his head into his brother's shoulder, "I am home – this is where I belong, this is the place where Wolfram's soul is at."

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After that day Wolfram had witnessed Yuri and Shouri's interaction; he had faded away for awhile.

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Until one day, _'or was it years again?'_ Wolfram wasn't sure, but Greta had stood up regally before Yuri and his brothers. She had grown into a beautiful woman, he thought to himself.

Then just as suddenly as she stood up, she slapped Yuri in front of everyone and yelled at them, "what's the point of regret now?"

"Conrad you feel inadequate because you couldn't do anything for your brother, you too Gwendal," Greta began calmly, "Cheri you feel grief because you felt that you had forsaken Wolfram somehow and you Yuri, you think you could have done more and that you had unconsciously driven all the events that had taken place before Wolfram's death! Of course, maybe there were things we could have done differently."

"But now is neither the time nor the place! Wolfram didn't want this for you guys," Greta continued, "it's okay to grieve but it's okay to feel happiness too because Wolfram died so that we could continue . . . he wouldn't be happy seeing that everyone is wasting away into nothing. Regret can come and go but if you guys really loved Wolfram, you would not let his death be in vain. Show him what he meant to you, okay? That's the only way to live now."

Everyone was shocked at Greta's outburst; it had almost been taboo to talk about Wolfram with any of them but then with her speech, she had opened an invisible door that had been closed for a long time.

"I miss him too daddy," Greta spoke as Yuri gathered his child into his arms.

Wolfram felt deeply touched; his Greta had grown beautifully.

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Wolfram's spirit slowly drifted again.

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Coming out of his stupor, Wolfram opened his eyes . . . _'how long had he been sleeping again?'_ Realizing that he was in the castle, he wondered how many years had passed from the last time. Wolfram's spirit wandered through the hallway.

Suddenly, he saw a blond haired child run through the hallway right past him at a frightening speed.

"Wolfram," someone called out, "Wolfram, you're going to hurt yourself!"

The same boy turned toward the male voice and stuck out his tongue and ran toward the garden in the back.

"Hey you!" the same male approached the child and lifted him into the air. "Don't do that, you can really hurt yourself by running so fast."

"But grandpa," he began to whine. Then he started to giggle as his grandpa started to tickle him in midair.

"No buts young man," as he spoke, Wolfram's spirit neared the two and watched in surprise as the black haired male turned to the left. It was Yuri. Yuri had gotten older.

"Your momma had been looking for you," Yuri chuckled, "and you know how your mother gets when you disappear from her."

"Awwww," the child pouted, "but I wanted to see the flowers grandpa. It should be ready to bloom now."

Yuri's eyes filled with tenderness, "oh Wolfram . . ."

Holding onto his grandson's hand, they neared Cheri's garden.

"See, LOOK! It bloomed now," the blond shouted, "Beautiful Wolfram."

Yuri beamed, "yes . . . Beautiful Wolfram."

"Grandpa," the boy spoke out again. "Do I really look like my other grandpa?"

"Yes dear," Yuri nodded.

"Did you love him?" the blond asked.

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Wolfram felt his breath hitch for many reasons – he felt tears in his eyes as he realized that they had named Greta's son after him.

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"Yes, I loved him very much," Yuri kneeled down to the little boy's height, "there isn't a day when I wish he weren't here with me, with us you know."

"Do you still love grandpa Wolfram?" he inquired again shyly.

Yuri felt tears to his eyes, "everyday . . . and beyond."

"Good," the boy replied and looked past Yuri's shoulder to the spirit behind them, "because I love him too even if I wasn't able to meet him because he's here in me," as the blond pointed towards his heart.

Yuri felt speechless and drew his grandson into his chest, "he's in here too for me."

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"Wolfram," Greta called out as she walked into the garden, "it's time for your lessons."

"Ah, pooey," the blond pouted again, "I don't want to study with Gunter."

"Wolfram, he is not Gunter to you," Greta admonished.

"Fine, fine, I'll go to my lesson with Gunter teacher," he replied, "but can you guys give me a moment?"

Yuri and Greta smiled towards him and shook their heads; he really did resemble his grandpa Wolfram in personality and words.

Yuri affectionately patted his head and saluted, "yes, Your highness."

Little Wolfram giggled, "adults . . . sheesh."

As they walked away towards the castle, little Wolfram kneeled down to the flower and kissed the petal. "Beautiful Wolfram," he spoke out clearly. The blond then stopped and hesitated while shifting his head left and right. Then after looking for something he didn't understand, he pierced his glaze at where Wolfram spirit's stood.

After coming to some decision, the blond began to talk again.

"Grandpa Yuri loves you," little Wolfram spoke, "so does uncle Conrad, uncle Gwendal, and grandma Cheri . . . they all miss you and this is a secret between you and me but they told me that when everyone becomes reborn again that they hope they can make you happier in that lifetime. So don't be sad anymore grandpa Wolfram."

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Wolfram's spirit felt a great relief overcome him. His death had not been in vain and seeing Greta's child had touched him with love and relief.

He neared his grandson's form and kissed the top of the blond mop of hair and whispered softly, "thank you love."

His tears overflowed – there was always hope in a different future, a different lifetime with the ones he had loved so much.

As he slowly began to fade away, his tattered wings began to blend and heal – he had felt free for the first time in his life – his death. But death was not the final resting place; his soul then returned to the blue bottle that had been entrusted to his brother's care. He was in good hands.

Wolfram knew he had made the right decision . . . everyone loved in a different way and he had chosen his to save Yuri. He hoped that he could rejoin everyone again one day like Julia's soul had found in Yuri.

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THE END


End file.
